Lock and Key

Question 1

What is the lock and key hypothesis?

Answer 1

• Locking at 3D shapes of enzymes and their substrates shows that the substrate fits neatly into an active site in an enzyme.

Question 2

What is the second part of the hypothesis?

Answer 2

• The active site has a different shape in different enzymes since the shape of the substrate fits tightly into the hole of the active site, which is the model of how enzymes work.

Question 3

Define ‘Active Site’

Answer 3

• The site on an enzyme molecule that has a special shape that holds the substrate molecule during the reaction

Question 4

What does changing the active site do?

Answer 4

• Too much change will break the bonds within the enzyme.

- This changes the shape so much that it denatures the enzymes and destroys the active site

Question 5

What is ‘Denature’?

Answer 5

• To break down/change shape, as proteins denature with excess heat